The Colorado Rockies spent virtually no money during the offseason, and their biggest story has been their best player’s apparent anger towards the organization. But that hasn’t dampened owner Dick Monfort’s belief in the 2020 team.
After a 2018 season that saw the team win 91 games and reach the NLDS, the Rockies cratered last season, going 71-91. Monfort, however, believes in the precedent set by two teams a decade ago. After reaching the World Series in 2007, the Rockies went 74-88 before rebounding to win 92 games in 2009. That’s what Monfort believes will happen again.
“In ’08, with basically the exact same team (as ’07), we won 74 games and lost 88,” Monfort said at a breakfast on Saturday, via Kyle Newman of the Denver Post. “But like a great American hero, Forrest Gump, once said, ‘(Stuff) happens.’ And that’s what happened in ’08, because in ’09 we won 92 and lost 70. Most of the people I talk to that were on those teams say the ’09 team was our greatest team.
“I interpolated ’07, ’08 and ’09 — I had an analytical staff go through and interpolate those numbers — and so in 2020, we’ll win 94 games and lose 68.”
We’re not really sure who the analytical staffers in question are, but whatever makes the boss happy, after all.
There is some natural variance in baseball. Monfort is correct about that. However, with their division rival Arizona Diamondbacks taking steps to get better, as well as the natural dominance of the Los Angeles Dodgers, it’s going to be a very uphill climb. Add in the fact that star third baseman Nolan Arenado sounds rather unhappy with the current situation, and it’s easy to see how this could all fall apart. If the Rockies even come close to winning 94 games, they’ll have had a far better than expected season.
